Why We All Need to Practice Emotional First Aid (Guy Winch, TEDxLinnaeusUniversity)

What it is

Why We All Need to Practice Emotional First Aid is a talk by Guy Winch, a psychologist and author of Emotional First Aid. He gave it at TEDxLinnaeusUniversity in Sweden in November 2014. His point is simple: we know how to treat physical injuries, and even children know to put a plaster on a cut, but most people have no idea how to treat everyday psychological wounds.

The ideas that matter most

• Emotional hygiene. We look after our bodies daily; we should also look after our minds, and see a professional when emotional pain does not heal.
• Loneliness is a wound. It hurts, it changes how we see others, and it can make us pull away further. Treating it starts with noticing it.
• Failure can trick us. After a failure we often feel more helpless than we are, and give up too early. Focus on what you can control.
• Rumination keeps wounds open. Replaying painful events over and over tends to make things worse. Even a couple of minutes of distraction can help break the loop.
• Protect your self-esteem. When you are hurting, be as kind to yourself as you would be to a friend instead of piling on criticism.

Honest limits

This talk is about everyday emotional pain, not mental illness. Emotional first aid is like first aid for the body: useful, but not a substitute for a doctor when something is serious. If low mood, anxiety or painful thoughts last for weeks or stop you functioning, please see a doctor or counsellor. If you are in crisis, use Find A Helpline.

Who it suits

Students who are hard on themselves after setbacks, people living away from home who feel lonely, and anyone who tends to replay painful moments.

How to use it well

• Watch it, then write down one emotional wound you have been ignoring.
• Next time you catch yourself replaying something painful, try two minutes of a focused distraction, such as a puzzle or a walk.
• Note one thing you would say to a friend in your situation, and say it to yourself.

Pair it with on Sefism

• Follow Looking after your mental health.
• Ease loneliness with Building your support system.
• Recover from setbacks with Handling rejection and setbacks.
• For advice on your own situation, ask Tauseef a question.

Best for: basic emotional self-care that everyone should know.